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Romney’s speech at the Republican National Convention was flawed in not mentioning the men and women in uniform and the veterans who have returned from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. That is clear. What is even clearer is that he has compounded that mistake by seeking to excuse it, rather than admitting it. Thus, the news cycle continues.

He is right to stress the economy - the weakness of the economic recovery is the strongest argument for his candidacy - but stressing an issue and ignoring other important issues are not the same thing.

The Romney campaign seems to have set a strategy that says they will focus on the economy no matter what the Obama campaign is doing. That is plain foolish. Axelrod, Cutler, and company are smart political operatives. They have out-maneuvered Boston on every turn, as thoroughly as the George W. Bush team out-maneuvered John Kerry’s Boston team every chance they got.

And, if Team Romney does not learn those lessons, the result will be the same.

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